Ayrshire Scotland Business News is provided by the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle, an association of some of the top companies in Ayrshire. We publicise our members, and celebrate and report the wealth and rich diversity of entrepreneurial and business excellence that abounds here in Ayrshire, south-west Scotland. For further information e-mail Murdoch@eliteayrshire.com

The Elite Ayrshire Business Circle

Saturday, 10 May 2014

A RESTORED Douglas C-47 aircraft that originally had a lead role on D-Day in 1944 will land at Prestwick Airport later this month en route to visiting Normandy to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of D-Day and to honour veterans.

The C-47 troop carrier, known as Whiskey 7, will make its first European landing at Prestwick Airport on 20/21 May after crossing the Atlantic.

As part of a world tribute to the fallen and surviving soldiers of World War II, the American National Warplane Museum, based in Geneseo, New York, is working alongside the French government to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day, a significant turning point of the war. “Return to Normandy” is a project that will involve a warplane that served on D-Day to deploy paratroopers over select areas of Normandy this coming June.

The museum’s flagship aircraft, a restored Douglas C-47, will revisit Normandy, France, to commemorate the anniversary this summer. Departing the National Warplane Museum on 15 May, Whiskey 7 and the crew will cross the North Atlantic, making seven stops before reaching Normandy. Once again, Whiskey 7 will play a key role in D-Day, re-enacting the same mission she carried out seventy years ago. Members of the volunteer paratrooper group, Liberty Jump Team, will be deployed from Whiskey 7 over original drop zones, including a town that has not seen a parachute drop since D-Day.

“This has been a unique opportunity for us to thank our veterans for their service and we’re honoured to have been invited by the French government to be an integral part of their world celebration this June,” said Austin Wadsworth, National Warplane Museum President.

Whiskey 7 is one-of-a-kind. Not only do very few airworthy C-47s that served on D-Day remain active, but Whiskey 7 was the lead aircraft of the second wave of Allied troops, directing hundreds of C-47s from the English Channel to France. She also carried 21 paratroops from the 3rd Battalion, including their commander, Lt. Col. Edward C. Krause, who led the assault on Sainte-Mere-Eglise.

Prestwick Airport Chief Executive Iain Cochrane (pictured above) commented: “It’s wonderful to host this iconic aircraft that played such a vital role in World War 2. In welcoming Whiskey 7 to Prestwick - which itself played a significant part in the conflict - we honour the brave people who flew in it seventy years ago and who contributed to a major turning point in the war.”

Organisers say it will fly in from Iceland on 20 May but, subject to weather, it could be 21 May.

Thursday, 8 May 2014

Demand within the Scottish housing market remained steady during April, with a net balance of 23 percent of respondents reporting an increase in new buyer enquiries, according to the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey.

Overall the latest figures reveal a constrained property market, which continues to be marred by weak supply and high demand. While respondents across nine UK regions reported declines in new property for sale coming onto the market, Scotland had a more positive April, with a net balance of 12 percent more respondents reporting an increase in new instructions.

In the month that also saw new lending regulations brought into effect (the Mortgage Market Review), respondents reported that the average ‘perceived’ Loan to Value (LTV) ratios among first time buyers climbed to 86 percent across the UK, with an even higher average in Scotland.

Significantly, there now appears to be a broadening out of the recovery away from London, with increasingly upbeat price responses likely across the country going forward. In Scotland 46 percent more chartered surveyors predict prices over the next three months will rise, rather than fall, and by comparison in London, 49 percent more respondents conveyed similar expectations.

Sarah Speirs, Director RICS Scotland, said: “House prices in general look set to remain firmly on the upward trend, however, the critical issue for the market remains the lack of second hand supply, despite a slight increase in April. It is too early to conclude whether this will undermine the positive trend in transactions volumes, but clearly the absence of properties to buy will ultimately be a factor in influencing the ability of people to move homes.

“That said, despite the disappointing trend in instructions, a net balance of 45 percent of surveyors expect to see sales levels increase as we head into the summer.”

Greg Davidson MRICS of Graham + Sibbald’s Perth office commented: “There have been good activity levels in the early part of 2014, and the increase in transactions is encouraging and a real sign that the residential market is turning a corner. Some sectors remain slower than others but sentiment is generally positive.”

In the rental sector, there continues to be modest growth in tenant demand although greater mortgage availability and the ‘Help to Buy’ Scheme have seen the appetite to rent lose some momentum in recent quarters. Even so, rent expectations in the next 3 months are expected to grow with 31 percent more chartered surveyors predicting an increase.

Wednesday, 7 May 2014

• New premises in Ayr town centre increases Scottish firm’s total number of offices to 14• Expansion demonstrates renewed confidence in Ayrshire property market

Graham + Sibbald Chartered Surveyors has opened a brand new office in the town of Ayr.

Building on an existing successful presence in Kilmarnock, Partner Fraser Lang (pictured below) commented: “We know that our services will be in demand in Ayr and already work for a number of clients in the town, including the local authority, national and local property companies, developers, banks and private clients.

“We are confident that this expansion will lead to further opportunities and we feel that we can offer a speed of turnaround and efficiency that local people and the business community will appreciate. We also offer specialist services that a number of local contacts will benefit from, including Investment, Licensed Trade & Leisure, Planning services and a host of additional skills. Now all on tap from a local base in Ayr town centre.”

The new office is located in 12 Alloway Place, a mid-terrace traditional office which has been recently refurbished and finished to the highest standard.

The company’s Kilmarnock office was established in 1998, following the merger with Douglas Inglis & Partners, and will continue to operate with a staff of 14. Three new jobs have been created within Graham + Sibbald in the area, as a result of opening in Ayr.

Fraser Lang will head up the office and be responsible for the commercial department, Alasdair Cameron (pictured above, left, with Fraser Lang) is in charge of the residential department and Laura Samson has moved from the Kilmarnock office to become Ayr office manager.

Fraser Lang has been with Graham + Sibbald for 14 years and was born in Ayrshire and now lives in Prestwick with his family. A member of the Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce and on the Business Advisory Panel to the Bank of England, Fraser is also active in the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle.

In 2013 Fraser Lang was also recognised by trade publication, Estates Gazette, as the West of Scotland Most Active Dealmaker of the Year.

• Graham + Sibbald, Chartered Surveyors was established in 1959.

.

• The firm has 26 Partners, 24 Associates and 230 members of staff across 14 offices.

• Experts in Commercial, Residential and Construction, the firm also has specialists in Investment, Asset Management, Healthcare, Licensed Trade and Leisure, Petroleum and Planning.

Tuesday, 6 May 2014

HRH The Prince of Wales, Royal Honorary Colonel, Queen's Own Yeomanry, took the salute when South Ayrshire Council granted the Honorary Freedom of South Ayrshire to A (Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry Squadron.

The parade started at Pavilion Road in Ayr where His Grace, Duke of Westminster, who is their Honorary Colonel and South Ayrshire Provost Helen Moonie addressed the troops.

The people of South Ayrshire and beyond turned out in force to support the servicemen and women and women as they marched through Ayr town centre to the Wallace Tower in the High Street.

It was here that HRH the Prince of Wales took the salute.

Along with dignitaries at the Wallace Tower were army cadets and young people from schools.

The official Honorary Freedom of South Ayrshire ceremony was conducted by the Rev David Gemmell in Ayr Auld Kirk.

After the event Provost Helen Moonie said: “The Honorary Freedom of Ayr is our way of saying thank you to all our brave service personnel. The day was made all the more special by HRH the Prince of Wales taking the salute, enjoying the ceremony in the Auld Kirk and meeting the servicemen and women and their families afterwards.”

The Freedom Roll was signed by Eileen Howat, Chief Executive of South Ayrshire Council and Colonel Richard Callander OBE, Squadron Honorary Colonel.

After the ceremony, the parade marched to Ayr Town Hall where Provost Moonie hosted a civic reception to mark the occasion.

Colonel Callander added: “The outstanding welcome that the people of South Ayrshire, and others who came to watch the Honorary Freedom ceremony, was very much appreciated by all the servicemen and women. The honour South Ayrshire Council has bestowed upon is means a great deal to all of us.”

A photo album containing 30 images of this event is available on Flickr. CLICK HERE. Click on any image to access larger sizes.

South Ayrshire Council is a Founder Member of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle.

THE EDITORThe Editor of Ayrshire Scotland Business News is Murdoch MacDonald, a graduate of Magdalene College, Cambridge University, where his journalistic contemporaries included John Simpson, now World Affairs Editor with the BBC, and Alan Rusbridger, Editor of the Guardian. Murdoch MacDonald has been in the public relations industry and a freelance journalist and broadcaster for more than 35 years.He has handled the PR accounts of many top Scottish companies, including Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Life, John Menzies, Kwik-Fit and Barratt Homes.

He has hosted his own family finance programmes - "£s, Pence and Sense" on Radio Forth and "Moneywise" on Scottish Television.He now runs Ayrshire’s top PR consultancy Fame Publicity Services.

Wherever you are in the world, no other public relations consultancy, PR firm or publicity company can offer you a better or more cost-effective worldwide news distribution service, combined with search engine optimisation techniques that will drive customers and qualified sales leads to your company's website.

Murdoch MacDonald is also managing director of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle, an association of some of the top companies in Ayrshire.Telephone: 01292 281498E-mail: Murdoch@eliteayrshire.com

Murdoch and his wife Lilian (pictured above) have written a book called "Phoenix in a Bottle", describing how they overcame alcoholism and are now, contrary to conventional wisdom, able to drink alcohol responsibly again. "Phoenix in a Bottle" is published by Melrose Books price £16.99 and is now available worldwide.Reviewing the book, eminent American addiction expert Dr Stanton Peele PhD commented:

“Phoenix in a Bottle is a modern version of The Days of Wine and Roses, and tells the true story of how two people who entered a period of desperate drinking stayed with one another in a close loving relationship, and emerged from their alcoholism able to drink responsibly again.

“Both a wonderful love story and a challenge to conventional wisdom about how people can recover from drinking problems, Phoenix in a Bottle gives people hope, and helps them to confront their own demons - alcohol or otherwise.”

And now "Phoenix in a Bottle" has been selected as a set text by a top American university.

“Phoenix in a Bottle” by Lilian and Murdoch MacDonald will now be required reading for all doctoral students in a psychology programme at Alliant International University in San Diego, California.

Alliant International University, headquartered in San Diego and San Francisco, California, was formed in 2001 by the merger of the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) and the United States International University. Alliant has 6 campuses throughout California and also runs programmes in Mexico City, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant is one of the premier psychology schools in the US, and it counts roughly half the licensed clinical psychologists in California as its alumni.

Dr. Gary W. Lawson is Professor of Psychology at CSPP. He says: “I adopted Phoenix in a Bottle because the dilemma this couple struggled with and the questions they ask themselves are like so many others I have encountered in 35 years of clinical experience treating addictions.“However, nowhere in addiction literature have I seen these issues examined and explained as well as Lilian and Murdoch do in Phoenix in a Bottle.“I also recommend Phoenix in a Bottle to many of my patients as well.”

You can buy "Phoenix in a Bottle" by Lilian and Murdoch MacDonald online now direct from Amazon UK (click on book cover image below).